


Esoteric

by unchxrted



Category: Uncharted (Video Games)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Lesbian Sex, Near Death Experiences, Smut, Soft lesbian gfs, Treasure Hunting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-05-06
Packaged: 2019-04-16 00:19:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14152545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unchxrted/pseuds/unchxrted
Summary: Chloe invites Cutter, Nadine and Sam on a gig to find the Nazi Gold Train, believed to have “disappeared” from the underground tunnels of Lower Silesia in 1945. Fluff, smut and angst ensues.





	1. Skyline

**Author's Note:**

> I finally started writing this fic ♡ ive has this idea for a little while though had no motivation to start it, and now I’ve finally got into the swing of things. 
> 
> The history of Nazi Germany has always been an interest of mine, and I can assure you that I have done a LOT of extensive research on this topic, however I am no expert and I’m simply a fanfic writer, lol. I do not wish to offend anyone with my work. 
> 
> There’s a smut warning for the second half of the chapter, so is lesbian sex isn’t your thing then I’d highly recommend skipping over it. 
> 
> Feedback would be greatly appreciated ^^ All mistakes are my own.

A hand clasped the documents that were tucked neatly away in her coat pocket, gripping tightly as she walked. Puddles splashed with each step, the cold, dreary London weather expected from experience, though not appreciated in the slightest. Chloe's hood struggled to cover her hair as the wind ravaged it, and her free hand raised up to hold it in place, the unpleasant sensation of rain spraying her face increasing the anticipation of arriving at the pub.

By the time she arrived at the doors, Chloe's coat was essentially soaked through; the leather of her leggings had provided some resistance to the rain, however, as had her heeled ankle boots. Releasing her hood, Chloe quickly pushed open the doors, relishing in the warmth hugged her shivering body. The pub was rowdy; a given for a late Friday evening in Central London. However, a few quick glances around and she spotted Charlie Cutter with ease. The man was sat at a solitary booth near the restrooms, head down, phone in hand and laptop open on the table. The grip on the documents lessened for a moment as she approached her former lover. "Charlie."

The man stood, moving to pull Chloe into one of his usual bear-hugs but deciding against it after spotting how drenched Chloe was. "How are ya?" He said instead, shifting over so the woman could sit beside him. The eyes that had been focusing for so long on the laptop were now locked onto Chloe's, a familiar warmth in them as the woman took off her jacket, revealing a flowing, sleeveless rouge blouse.

"I'm great, thanks." Chloe smiled, a genuine smile, as she shook the droplets of rain off her jacket and placed it over the arm of the booth chair. The documents were out in a moment, almost as if she couldn't keep them off her mind. She placed them on the table beside Charlie's pint of beer, before stretching her back and settling in the booth beside him. "How have you been, Charlie?"

As the two spoke, catching up after almost a couple of years with no contact, Nadine and Sam exited the cab onto the slippery street. Nadine, luckily, had came prepared and brought an umbrella with her. Sam, it seemed, had not. The man cursed lightly, covering his head with one hand whilst his other fumbled in his pocket for a cigarette.

"Jesus, can you not go thirty minutes without taking a drag from one of those things?"

Sam scoffed loudly at the woman, before pulling one out of his pocket. A scowl replaced his expression as Nadine snatched the stick of cancer out of his hand. 

"We'll be inside in a minute. Put those fucking things away." She handed the cigarette back to him, before walking off in a huff. The plane journey had been a long one, and Nadine was looking forward to a hotel bed and hot bath. Children should be banned from aeroplanes. At least they should in Nadine's opinion.

Avoiding the puddles was one thing, but trying to not trip over the endless level of potholes on the street was another. Nadine cursed as she caught the tip of her boot in one of them, before walking faster out of sheer grumpiness. Throwing open the pub door, Nadine put down her umbrella and stepped inside, glancing around for Chloe and relaxing when she spotter her and presumably Cutter, talking beside a laptop, a pint of beer and a strawberry daiquiri. Sam was lagging behind her, and Nadine wasn't waiting around to hold the door open for him. Approaching Chloe, Nadine exhaled a small sigh as she sat down beside her partner. "Frazer."

"Nadine." Chloe replied, almost excitedly. The two hadn't seen each other in several weeks, and Chloe had already began to miss her partner-in-crime. "How's the weather out there?"

"Fucking horrible." Nadine huffed, setting her umbrella down underneath the table and turning to Sam, who had just turned up. "Jack Daniels and coke for me, thanks Sam." She said simply, before turning back to Chloe and ignoring Sam's dramatic 'ugh' as he walked to order their drinks. "Nadine Ross." She smiled, despite her grumpy-looking expression as she was introduced to Cutter, who seemed to be wearing an equally grumpy-looking expression. "So what's this all about?"

"You're not one to beat about the bush are you." Charlie smirked, finishing off his beer. "Get us another pint Sam, will you mate?" Another huff.

"Treasure." Chloe said simply, a glint in her eye that Nadine only ever saw when money was involved. Or sex. Nadine had missed that look.

Sam sat on the other side of the booth, setting down their drinks and pretending to cough in Nadine's coke. The woman shot him a death glare, before taking a long drink from it, almost downing the glass in one. 

"You've heard of the Nazi Gold Train?"

"Hold on." Nadine waved her hand. "That's a legend."

"Hunny, everything's legend until it's discovered. But continuing on. You remember last year when those two treasure hunters tried to get the government to go digging for it? Piotr and Andreas? They co-owned a mining exploration company."

"I remember. Didn't they find something that turned out to be nothing?"

"Time out." Sam clapped his hands. "What's the Nazi Gold Train?"

"Well, you know how when the Nazi's sent people to concentration camps they would take their possessions from the prisoners? After the war ended, a rumour came out that the Germans had hidden away the most valuable and expensive jewellery and materials gathered on a train in the underground tunnel network. Just below what was once Germany, but is now Lower Silesia, Poland."

"And you think that's a thing?"

"It didn't all just vanish, did it? After the Nazi's caught wind that the Soviet Army was headed their way, it's believed that they hid the train and blocked it off from anyone who would come looking for it. However, they never managed to relocate it again. People have gone looking for it but... Nothing has turned up."

"Except?"

"Except, in December the second team that was sent out announced that although the survey had provided them with no evidence of a train, there was perhaps evidence of a collapsed tunnel. It was also discovered that there were natural ice formations under the ground, which means..."

"Caves."

"Got it in one."

Charlie looked back to Chloe. "Surely the tunnels must end somewhere, though? They've gotta be all explored, surely."

"I've got inside intelligence that the place was rigged with explosives by the Nazi's. Booby traps, you name it. They didn't want any unwanted visitors to stumble across their loot, did they?" Chloe's eyes were gleaming, and a flash of a grin acquired her lips. 

"You want us to go into these rigged as fuck tunnels, stick our neck out for somethin' that might not even be there, for...?"

"Up to 300 tonnes of gold, jewels, weapons and masterpieces."

Sam sat back, thinking hard for a moment. Nadine followed suit, staring at the table while the cogs at the back of her mind whirred quickly. 

"Well, I'm fuckin' in." Cutter decided, grinning himself and accepting the high five Chloe offered him. "Could make a bloody fortune."

"Hold on." Nadine paused. "You want us to steal the possessions of those that were sent to concentration camps and most likely slaughtered on a massive scale? Do you realise how insensitive that is, Frazer?"

"I don't mean it like that-"

"Well how do you mean it then? Because it sounds like you want us to use their suffering for our own gain."

"Nadine, wait. We aren't going to take all of it-"

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?!"

"We're going to take what's been irriversibly damaged. Jewellery that has been melted into ingots. We are NOT going to take possessions that have sentimental value."

"All of it has sentimental value, Frazer. If that train's real? It's full of millions of possessions of those who died in the Holocaust. You are a selfish dickhead." Nadine went to stand, but instead whipped around when Chloe grabbed her arm. 

"Nadine, please. I want the Polish government to find the train. I want the victims to have their sentiments back. I do, but-"

"But you want to make a quick buck where you can." Nadine hissed, eyes filled with anger. 

"That's part of the job."

"Nadine-" Sam shrank back a little when Nadine stared him down. "She's got a point. Those ingots? No one will be able to identify what the jewellery even looked like- how can you return something unrecognisable? And would you prefer the government to sell those ingots for cash, because I can assure you that'll probably be their first move if it ever gets discovered."

Charlie bravely put a hand on Nadine's shoulder. "Calm down love, will ya? She wants to do the right thing, 'ere. Course we're gonna make a bit o' money along the side, but, with a bit of luck, most of the remaining survivors will be able to have their possessions back after all these years. That's a good thing, innit?"

The woman was shaking with rage, eyes filled with disappointment. But she had to admit, they had a point. Sooner or later, that train was going to be found. And there was a 90% chance that the government would simply sell off what they found to fatten their pockets further. If the group found it first, they could negotiate and ensure that the recognisable possessions could be returned to those still living, or sent to the families of the deceased. Some way or another. It'd be a long process, but she was determined to get it done.

"My family fought in that war." She said, voice surprisingly calm and quiet despite the visible anger on her expression.

"As did mine." Chloe told her, an apologetic look on her face. "I want the rightful owners to get their possessions back. But I don't want the government to make money out of it. That's my priority. I mean, making a bit of money sounds good too-" A warning look cut her off. "But you know, my priority is that."

Setting back against the chair, Nadine exhaled the breath she had been holding. Her fingers trailed along the glass in front of her, before she picked it up and chugged it back. "Alright, Frazer. Looks like we've got a deal. But no funny business, alright."

"You have my word." Chloe raised her hands in surrender, before a small smile made it's way onto her face. "Let me show you some of the research I did." Finally, Chloe opened the envelope and several articles spilled out. Eagerly, she spread them out across the table. "Get us some more drinks, Sam?"

"Get your own." Sam shot back, clearly agitated about being the barmaid. 

"I'll do it." Nadine offered, raising to her feet and heading off to the bar to re-order their pints of beer and cocktails. 

"What have you got?"

"The train is thought to be buried in a series of underground tunnel networks from an unfinished secret Nazi project, named "Project Riese", German for 'giant'. It is thought to be located somewhere near Wałbrzych, however it is thought the tunnels could be miles long. As the tunnels are so old, it's been noted that many have collapsed on themselves; Last year, when the teams went looking for the tunnels, they used explosives and drills and dynamite in order to create pathways down. However, they only dug deeper and deeper in one position- they never checked the surrounding areas just a few miles away from their position."

"Caves?" Sam said, excitedly. "You mean, there are caves and they didn't even think to check them?"

"Ran out of funding." Chloe smirked, tapping several radar images she had printed. "They originally thought these ice formations were remains of the train, and after they discovered it wasn't they abandoned the search altogether. Since then, only private expeditions have been carried out, but if something had been found it easily would've been reported by now.

"My contact said a team went out only recently, so we may have some competition-"

Cutter groaned, loudly, at that. "It's never bloody simple, is it."

"Who likes it easy?"

"I do." Sam interjected. "They're not gonna start shooting at us for interrupting their little party, are they?"

She shrugged. "I'm... Not sure who it is. But I think the man in charge is an ex-treasure hunter. It's not Nathan-" She said quickly as Sam opened his mouth. "But... I'm worried we may know him."

"Every ex-treasure hunter we've known has ended up dead." Sam cut in. "How many other guys have you screwed over in the past, Chloe?"

"Don't talk to her like that." Nadine was back, setting the drinks on the table in front of them. Sam simply narrowed his eyes at her.

"Have you two not kissed and made up yet?" Chloe asked, incredulously. 

"How can I with her on my back all the time?"

"I'm not on your fucking back all the tim-"

"Easy. Shut up, you two." Cutter set his half-downed pint back onto the table. "Now we know what we're dealing with. Chloe, are you one hundred percent sure that this is... Dare I say it... Safe?"

"Nope."

"I'm in."

Chloe was grinning, as she took a drink of the cocktail Nadine had handed her. It took all her strength not to choke on it as Nadine's hand moved to rest at the top of her thigh suggestively. She simply smiled sweetly at her, a slight glint in her eye. "Nadine will stay at mine for tonight. Sam, you can go to Charlie's- I'm sure he won't mind. We need to book plane tickets for the soonest flight to Warsaw." Chloe reached over for Charlie's laptop and began to type away at it, ignoring his patronising stare. "Well last time I let you book the flights you almost sent us to Indonesia instead of Syria!"

"Hmf." Was all Charlie said in response, taking another drink from his beer and ignoring Nadine's stifled snort. 

 

Around half an hour later, the four had booked tickets for two days time for a respectable £780 for the group. Sam was griping about his bank balance, although Chloe promised him he'd be able to pay off his next bill when his credit card came up for paying with the payout from the job. Soon, Sam and Cutter were leaving before they embarrassed themselves after their 6th pints (Cutter presumably having drank many more before Chloe had even arrived). This left Nadine and Chloe alone in their booth, hands all over eachother as the music and the drunk Englishmen dulled to a continuous shout.

"How do you suppose we go back to my apartment?" Chloe purred into Nadine's ear, shuddering lightly as Nadine pressed a chaste kiss to her throat as a foreshadowing of the night to come. 

"Hm, I suppose I could agree to that." Nadine's fingers were gently stroking Chloe's thighs, feeling her warmth through her leather leggings. "Cab?"

Chloe nodded, and the pair exited the pub, both grinning in excitement to get back to the apartment. The pair were slightly giddy from the alcohol, and the cab driver eyed them up as they clambered into the back, giggling. Chloe gave her address, and Nadine had to pry her off as she started sloppily kissing her neck in the back of the cab. 

"Easy, wait until we get home alright China?"

Chloe groaned softly, her breathing erratic as the excitement began to tip her over the edge. Luckily Chloe didn't live too far away, and Nadine paid off the taxi driver, escorting Chloe out of the back of the cab. "Come on, Frazer, pull yourself together."

"I'm gonna sit on your face." The other woman whispered sinfully, a dark glint in her eye that made Nadine's breath catch in her throat.

"I expected that." Was all Nadine had to say as she practically carried Chloe up several flights of stairs. Once they had managed to open the door, Chloe was hungrily pulling at Nadine's shirt and practically begging to be touched. As soon as the door was shut, Nadine chucked Chloe onto the bed and began to strip, revelling in the warmth of her apartment and not even bothering to shut the curtains as she undressed. Once naked, she turned back to Chloe, who was simply smirking at her naked partner, still fully dressed and laying slightly awkwardly. 

"You're so fucking hot, Nadine." Chloe told her.

"Chloe... You know I can't have sex with you if you're too drunk to consent..."

"I'm consenting now, aren't I?" A frown replaced Chloe's smirk, soon followed by a pout. "Come on, Nadine... Please?" With an effort, Chloe sat up and pulled off her blouse, revealing the equally red laced bralette she knew Nadine loved so much. A smirk followed suit. "Please, love?"

Nadine sighed. "You sure this is alright?"

"Do I look like I'm saying no?"

"I want to be one hundred percent certain that this is what you want."

"Yes, Nadine. I want to have sex with you. I want your tongue on my clit, and I want it now." 

Nadine's concern dissipated in a second. "So long as you ask nicely, eh?" Slowly, she knelt on the bed, pulling off Chloe's shoes for her. 

"Please, love. Please let me sit on your face."

A chuckle. "I love it when you ask me so nicely." Off came Chloe's leggings, and Nadine groaned softly at the matching red panties Chloe was wearing. "Did you dress up for me?"

"Only the best for my partner." Chloe whispered, pushing Nadine onto her ass and straddling her naked body. In an instant soft lips met her own, and Chloe's arms snaked around Nadine's shoulders, her fingers tangling themselves in Nadine's amazing head of hair. When cold hands met her ass, Chloe gasped into the kiss, but pressed it down against them despite the iciness of Nadine's skin. Chloe moaned softly into the kiss as Nadine gently squeezed, sliding her hands between her thighs. One hand left Nadine's hair and moved to brush against Nadine's breasts, grinning into the kiss as her thumb brushed perked, soft nipples. "Enjoying yourself, love?" She asked sweetly, tilting her head back as Nadine's mouth left hers and began to trail kisses along her neck and jaw. 

"No doubt." Nadine breathed against her skin, evoking a soft moan from the woman in her lap. Chastely she pressed kisses against the skin, tongue dragging along as she travelled down to her collarbone. Her hands moved to unclasp the gorgeous bralette Chloe was wearing, revealing Chloe's own small breasts. Nadine chuckled softly as Chloe groaned impatiently, pressing her chest against Nadine's. "Are you going to make this difficult for me, China?"

"I don't need seducing, Nadine... I need fucking."

Eyebrows raised, Nadine pulled away from Chloe's collarbone. "You don't want me to make love to you?"

"I do i just-"

"You are so impatient, Frazer." Nadine smirked, flipping her over onto her back and sliding her panties down over her legs. Discarding them beside her bra, Nadine pushed Chloe’s legs open. "You shaved."

"Well spotted." Chloe huffed, trying to push Nadine's head down to her crotch. 

"All in good time, Frazer." Nadine's hands rested on her thighs, stroking them up and down as her lips pressed a soft kiss to her inner thigh, near but not close enough. Her index finger pressed against the slit, stroking along the wetness of her heat and grinning against her thigh at the moan it evoked. Finally, Nadine replaced her finger with her mouth and pressed down. Chloe was sweet on the tongue, pleasant to her tastebuds unlike many ex partners. It reminded her of warm pineapple. 

When Nadine finally touched where Chloe craved most, it sent an electric pulse through her entire body, her first instinct to squeeze her thighs shut as her legs twitched. Nadine didn't let up, her tongue massaging roughly against her sweet spot and sending all sorts of pleasure to shoot to her core. The next moan was slightly higher pitched than the last as Nadine licked her mound like a rapidly melting sundae. Her hands were all over the place, first covering her mouth as she moaned, then to Nadine's shoulders, then her glorious hair once more. Just as she felt herself coming close to the edge, Nadine broke away, once again replacing her tongue with her finger. "Ugh, Nadine... That's not fair." Chloe said breathlessly, arching her back as Nadine's finger pressed at her entrance. 

"I don't play fair." Slowly, Nadine pressed two of her fingers inside of Chloe, the woman's groans sending heat directly to her groin. Thumb pressed against her sweet spot, Nadine curled her fingers, pressing her lips to Chloe's thighs and leaving a trail of love bites up to her crotch. Nadine could feel Chloe's walls tightening as she hit her g-spot deep inside of her, and shifted her hand in order to hit it slightly harder as she curled her fingers again. 

Chloe was practically drooling as Nadine learn upwards to allow contact between her lips and Chloe's breast. A litter of love bites trailed along the curve of her left breast, until Nadine reached her nipple and gently licked. Chloe tightened around her fingers again, a breathy moan escaping her lips as her vision darkened. "Shit, I missed this..." She choked out, voice unsteady and definitely higher in pitch than usual. The huskiness was gone, replaced with a higher, desperate need to orgasm. All at once it hit, causing her back to arch again as waves of pleasure rippled through her body. Momentarily her vision clouded over entirely as she drowned in ecstasy, Nadine still not letting up as her body shook in her grasp. By the time she came down from her high, she felt slightly woozy and had to blink a few times to steady her vision. "Holy shit."

Nadine gently eased out of her, before moving to encase Chloe's lips with her own. "How was that, Frazer?"

"Fucking brilliant, Ross." She promised, allowing her body to sink into her bed as the tension wore off. Her eyes closed for a moment as she caught her breath, and she chuckled as she noticed the rate that her heart was beating at. "You'll give me a bloody heart attack one day."

"It'll be worth it." Nadine cooed, hypersensitive to the touch simply from getting her partner off. When Chloe touched her, Nadine jolted, squeezing her eyes shut. It earned a low chuckle from Chloe. 

"Did you really get off from watching me orgasm? You're filthy."

"You're one to talk." Nadine shot back, legs twitching as Chloe pressed against her and slipped in both fingers with ease. A light blush crept up to her cheeks as Chloe chuckled again, although a moan soon escaped her lips as Chloe managed to pick up the pace to one that left her legs violently shaking. Nadine was flipped onto her back into the position Chloe was in moments ago, and pushed her hips up slightly to allow Chloe better access to her heat. It only took a minute or two for her to lose control, biting down on her fist and releasing a loud moan as she reached her orgasm. Blinded by ecstasy, Nadine closed her eyes and rode it out, panting heavily as Chloe slowed her pace and eased out of her. Sweat was beading at her temples. 

A second later Chloe had rolled off her and onto her back, also panting. "I really missed this, Nadine." It took a few minutes for the pair of them to catch their breath. By the time they had, Chloe was getting up and heading to the bathroom, leaving Nadine alone with her thoughts for a while. 

It had been weeks since they had last made love to each other. Nadine had gone to visit family and ended up staying longer than anticipated, leaving Chloe painfully alone. Charlie was always available to visit for when she got too lonely, although it wasn't the same. Charlie was her ex. And he just wasn't Nadine.  
When Chloe had rung Nadine, practically begging her to come back as she had found a new job that she wanted to discuss, Nadine had booked the earliest possible flight without a second thought. Sam had flown over from an Island where, it turns out, he had been visiting his brother and sister-in-law, and met with Nadine at Heathrow airport despite their differences.  
And now that the three had finally reconciled, Chloe could feel this abyss of emptiness swelling dangerously inside of her. 

She missed them both dearly. The closeness they had formed after so many near misses in India... It was indescribable. Chloe couldn't imagine living her life without them. Sam had his own family. And Nadine hers.  
Chloe was just Chloe. Her mother didn't care for her wellbeing. Her father was dead.  
She was just her. And she was terribly lonely. 

After she'd washed her hands, Chloe felt a sob build up and escape before she could even stifle it. A hand slapped over her mouth and she squeezed her eyes shut. Nadine was in the next fucking room. Now was not the time to be crying. Cautiously, she looked back into her room and saw Nadine laying on her back, eyes closed. She turned back to the mirror just as a stray tear fell from her eye. Eyes shut once more, Chloe muffled another sob against her hand. 

"Everything good in there, Frazer?"

Chloe's blood ran cold as she heard Nadine speak. Moving her hand, Chloe cleared her throat and said the first thing she could think of. "Just taking a shit, love." 

Nadine frowned and sat up at the sound of Chloe’s wavering voice. Her head turned to the doorway and she saw Chloe stood in front of the mirror, face away from her. "... I hope you aren't right now, otherwise you might make a bit of a mess." She got to her feet and approached Chloe, concerned. 

Shit. 

Quickly, Chloe wiped her eyes and nose, before turning to Nadine. "Do you need something?"

"You're crying."

Why did she have to be so blunt?

As soon as the words left Nadine's mouth, Chloe squeezed her eyes shut again and bit her lip, hard enough to tear it. The taste of copper filled her mouth. "Please, get out." She choked out, turning away from Nadine and wiping her eyes again as sobs started to wreck her body. Now was not the fucking time to be crying. Especially over something so fucking stupid. She sat down on the toilet seat, covering her face with her hands. 

"Chloe." Nadine's voice was soft and warm, like a hug from a mother that didn't exist. Her hand rested on Chloe's head, and she knelt down beside her. "Please, don't shut yourself away like this." 

"I don't want you seeing me cry over something so bloody ridiculous." Chloe mumbled, not pushing Nadine away but not making it easy for her to see her face. 

"If it's upset you, it's probably not stupid." Nadine promised, gently kissing the top of her head and pulling into an awkward, one-armed hug. Eventually, Chloe gave in and moved her hands. 

Her face was red and wet from crying, eyes shining through the tears. An awkward smile grazed her lips as she stared into Nadine's chocolate orbs. 

"Come on." Nadine got back to her feet and helped Chloe to hers, pulling her onto her lap as she sat back down on the bed. "Tell me what you've been overthinking this time."

"I don't want to lose you. Or Sam. Or Nathan or Cutter or-"

"Chloe, stop. We aren't going anywhere. You're not going to lose us any time soon."

"Yes, but you might! This stupid fucking job I've decided we're doing ... It could get you all killed. It would be all my fault. I wouldn't be able to live with myself. Your parents without a daughter, Nate without a brother. Cutter's family..."

"Are you having second thoughts?"

"I'm always having second thoughts."

"If it's as bad as you think it will be, you don't have to do this. We don't have to prove anything to anyone. We have our homes. All we need is enough money to get us by. Food, clothes. Bills. You could get a less life threatening job. Maybe as a waitress." Nadine chuckled. 

"Never. Again." Chloe said firmly, smiling through the tears. "I'm just terrified of losing you all."

"As am I."

"Nadine Ross, scared?"

"Shocker, right?"

Chloe laughed, before burying her face into Nadine's shoulder. A few moments passed. "Nadine... What are we?"

"We're partners, Chloe."

"I mean... Us. Our relationship. Are we...?"

Nadine went quiet for a while. "If you want us to be."

"If you want us to be."

"I want what you want."

"Ditto."

"Well I want you then."

A genuine smile broke out on Chloe's face, and she moved to look at Nadine. "You seriously...?"

"Hundred percent."

Chloe was beaming, and she leaned in to kiss Nadine. Hands moved to brush away her tears as they kissed, and eventually Chloe pulled away. "I don't know about you... But I'm fucking knackered."

Nadine laughed loudly, falling back into the bed. "I can relate to that."

"Bed time?"

"You bet. Let me use the bathroom first." 

Chloe climbed off of Nadine and moved to the window. The view was something she could never get enough of. Her apartment was basic for what she paid, although London house and apartment prices were extortionate. Fortunately, this apartment was going just as she sold the Tusk of Ganesh, and she was able to make an offer. The view sold it. Overlooking Soho and the bright city lights, the bustle of traffic non-existent although definitely there. The moon shone brightly over the horizon. One thing she did miss was the sight of the stars, London's pollution levels the highest in the country and blocking sight of the galaxy. However, several glittering orbs were visible through the smog, shining brightly and captivating Chloe's attention. She missed the stars. Her eyes levelled to an opposite apartment block, and she felt anxiety swell in her as she spotted someone looking out of their window. In an instant, she had covered herself and shut the curtains. An awkward giggle escaped her. 

"What's so funny?" Nadine asked from the bathroom, turning the taps on the sink. 

"Nothing, love." Chloe smiled weakly, before climbing into her nightwear; simply a pair of black running shorts and (obviously) a red vest. Slipping under her duvet, Chloe felt the tension in her shoulders leave as soon as her head hit the pillow. Tomorrow was another day. And the day after they were going to Poland. As Nadine slipped in beside her and wrapped an arm around her body, Chloe turned onto her side and allowed Nadine to curl around her protectively. Nadine's warmth combined with the softness of the silk sheets pulled Chloe into a comfortable slumber, Nadine's heartbeat a gentle lullaby of which lulled her to sleep within minutes of closing her eyes.


	2. Sex & Takeout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nadine and Chloe have the day to themselves before the flight to Poland. Chloe convinces Nadine to take a day to relax, eat a little takeout and watch some Netflix. And go clubbing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow this is the longest fic I’ve ever written- and I’ve barely started it lol. I wanted this chapter to be more calm, as most of the fics I’ve read have been more angst/violence based. Also I wanted to explore what a day off would be like in Chloe’s book, hahaha. 
> 
> I guess this is kind of a filler chapter? Nothing eventful happens really, so it’s not a compulsory chapter to read- although, soft chlodine is always a must-read. 
> 
> Feedback and comments are always greatly appreciated ^-^

A sour taste in her mouth and a throbbing headache woke Chloe in the early hours. Body slick with an uncomfortable sweat, she detached Nadine's arms from her and carefully got out of bed. Fighting down the swelling nausea that was presumably from the excessive alcohol consumption the night before, she lightly padded into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water. She groaned softly and rubbed her head, before opening the fridge, thanking the gods that she'd refilled the water jug the day before. Pressing the glass into the ice dispenser and cursing it slightly as it whirred noisily to life, she filled her glass to the top and took several gulps. It soothed the burning in her throat. 

Checking the clock, Chloe noted that it was just after four in the morning. In the dead silence of the apartment, Chloe swore she could just about hear some of the congestion in the streets below, although she knew the windows were sound-proof. Shrugging, she finished off the glass and shifted her gaze to the window. The pretty lights captured her attention once more, and she found herself staring for a while. Neon billboards and brilliant white twinkling lights shone out amongst the darkness, juxtaposing one another. Chloe didn't even hear as Nadine silently entered the kitchen. 

"What are you doing up so early?" Her voice was groggy and husky, deeply arousing to Chloe's ears. The woman had woken the second that Chloe slipped out of bed, and would have left her had she not been gone for so long. 

"Felt a bit sick, so I got some water. Got distracted by the view." Chloe motioned to the skyline, before pulling another glass from the cupboard for Nadine. 

"Makes sense." Nadine sat at one of the bar stools, watching Chloe sleepily. "Is that for me?"

"Obviously." Chloe chuckled, filling it with ice and water before handing it over to her partner. 

"Cheers." Nadine drank deeply, grateful for it.   
It went silent again for a while. Nadine had set the glass down, and Chloe was still staring out the window, deep in thought. "I can never get enough of this view." Chloe finally broke the silence. 

"It's pretty." Nadine nodded, shifting her gaze from her partner to the window. "You don't see this often in South Africa."

Chloe turned to her, a subtle smile capturing her lips. "I guess so. I've never been."

"Oh really? Looks like I'll have to take you one day."

"When this jobs over. Remind me not to splash out too much, and we won't have to do another for a while." Chloe smiled, before joining Nadine. "You want to watch a movie?" She suddenly asked. 

Nadine grinned. "Why not? I'll probably fall asleep though. It's four in the morning."

"Oh well. Beats going back to bed."

Nadine rose an eyebrow. "I'm not sure about that." She admitted. 

"If you want to go back to bed we can-"

"I want to watch a movie." Nadine said firmly, before getting to her feet. "But I want the duvet on the couch." She decided. 

Chloe couldn't stop herself from laughing. "You want to sleep on the couch?"

"No, I want to watch a movie and cuddle on the couch but underneath the duvet because it's, dare I say, cosier."

Chloe raised both eyebrows. "Nadine Ross. A cuddler. If you insist. Get yourself comfy."

Nadine nodded, and walked over to the couch. It was a large, plush black, with an extending footrest. She wasted no time in sitting and extending it out, allowing her body to sink into the soft velvet of the sofa. Nadine almost felt her heart flutter as Chloe entered the room again, double duvet and pillows in her arms. As they were set down beside her, Chloe spoke again. "Tea?" 

"I'm alright, thanks China."

Chloe nodded and settled down beside her partner, reaching for the tv remote before tugging the duvet up to her chin. One arm out, she opened Netflix. "Movie?"

"You pick." Nadine suggested, pulling Chloe into her arms and resting her partners head against her breast. 

"Cheeky." Was all Chloe said, kissing the skin of her exposed chest before selecting Peter Pan. It was one of her childhood favourites, and she was the worst when it came to choosing a film. Peter Pan was her go-to movie. 

Nadine suppressed a chuckle at the movie choice, and pulled Chloe closer to her. The woman beside her curled up in her arms, knees to her chest despite the footrest. It made Nadine smile. Soon enough the movie was playing, and Nadine could feel her eyelids growing heavy again. She turned to look at Chloe, whose breathing had evened out and eyes were closed. Nadine was smiling again, and she shook her head. Typical Chloe. Nadine allowed her own eyes to close as sleep took over, pulling her deep into the abyss.

———

This time Nadine woke first, intense hunger dragging her from sleep. Neck stiff, she carefully stretched, Chloe's head still resting on her lap. When it cracked she groaned in satisfaction, and leant back against the sofa, blinking sleep out of her eyes. Light was flooding in through the windows, surprising her how it didn't wake her sooner. A quick check of the clock told her it was around nine, and she moved Chloe's head from her lap, propping it on a pillow and getting up. Finally being able to properly stretch, more of Nadine's joints cracked and she sighed in relief. 

"God, that's a horrible sound." Came Chloe's sleepy voice from the sofa. Her eyes were still closed and she hadn't moved, though Nadine had probably woken her. 

"Did I wake you?"

"No, the sunshine did. It's a rare sight in London, you should feel honoured to be able to witness it in all it's glory."

Nadine grinned, and exhaled a small sigh. Within a second she was in the fridge, poking around at what was in there. "Frazer, everything in here is either out of date or inedible."

"You're not wrong." Voice still groggy, Chloe sat up on the sofa. "You know, I could really go for Chinese food right now." 

"Oh, no." Nadine scoffed. "You are not ordering takeout at nine in the morning. And don't even think about pulling the 'hangover' card on me."

"Come on Nadine, don't be so boring." Chloe unlocked her phone, which was almost dead from forgetting to charge it the night before, and started scrolling through her contacts. 

"Chloe-"

"Sweet and sour chicken okay?" Chloe asked, ignoring her partners protests. 

"I'm not eating Chinese food at nine in the morning! I won't do it!"

"Hi, can I please have... A portion of sweet and sour chicken balls, special fried rice, make that two portions... Uhh, Nadine do you want prawn crackers?" When the woman glared at her, Chloe smirked. "We'll have prawn crackers with that. And the chicken curry? Can you make it extra hot, like you normally do? You're the best, man. Yeah, hangover. How could you guess?"

Nadine rolled her eyes as Chloe delved into conversation with the man on the end of the phone and headed into the bathroom to freshen up and use the bathroom. She found a spare toothbrush in the cupboard, and unwrapped it. When she spotted the almost empty toothpaste tube she barely stifled a laugh. Of course Chloe was the kind of person who didn't put the cap back on. Shaking her head, Nadine proceeded to clean her teeth. By the time she was done, Chloe had finished the conversation with her friend at the Chinese. "Have a nice catch up?"

"He's doing really well." Chloe smiled, patting the sofa beside her. "It'll be here in 15 minutes."

"Huh, that's quick."

"Yeah, it's just across the street."

"And you didn't even think to walk?!"

"What's the point?" Chloe shrugged, sinking back into the sofa. "They don't charge for delivery."

Nadine couldn't contain the bark of laughter that forced its way out of her. "You're such a lazy dickhead." Nadine sat back down on the sofa, and gave Chloe a push. "Clean your teeth, I'm not having you sit and stink all day."

"Well that's not polite." Chloe grumbled, getting to her feet finally and stretching. It took her a while to freshen up, and once she was done the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" She yelled, running across the apartment and grabbing her purse. 

When Chloe turned back to Nadine, bags of food in her arms and a grin across her face, the woman simply started to laugh again. "You look so ridiculous right now."

"Take a photo then, love." Chloe posed dramatically, holding the bags of food like weights and pouting. "And make sure you add the time thingy at the bottom."

"It's like you want to embarrass yourself." Nadine tittered lightly, taking the photo anyway and doing as her partner told. She straightened the covers on the sofa as Chloe bustled around in the kitchen, getting plates and cutlery. Then she jolted as Chloe exclaimed loudly. "What is it?"

"He gave me a couple of free sodas again." Chloe beamed, pretending to wipe her eye. She chucked one at Nadine, who barely had enough time to catch it and ignored the backlash Nadine sent her way. "Relax, love. It wouldn't have killed you."

"It could've spilled all over the bloody sofa."

"No it couldn't, it's sealed. Stop being so dramatic." 

Nadine huffed loudly, and set the can of strawberry Fanta on the table beside her. Soon Chloe appeared with the heaping plates of food. "There's still some leftover if you want any more."

"I hope there's some leftover still! Pig." Nadine teased, before digging her fork into the rice and starting to eat. 

"Ugh, this is amazing." Chloe ignored Nadine's comment and moaned in appreciation through her mouthful, eating unbelievably fast for someone that had just woken up. 

"Slow down or you'll make yourself sick." Nadine scolded, scowling slightly as Chloe rolled her eyes and carried on.

"You're not my mother." Chloe mumbled, eyes on her plate. 

"No, I'm just a concerned girlfriend."

Chloe nearly choked on a chicken ball. 

"What?"

"Didn't think I'd hear you say that so soon."

"You got a problem with it?"

"No problem, China." Chloe grinned, putting her fork down for a second and opening her can of Fanta. She stopped for a second. "Maybe you're right."

"I'm always right. What about this time?"

"I definitely shouldn't have eaten so fast." Chloe laughed weakly, taking a small sip of her drink and ignoring Nadine's 'I told you so' stare. The woman exhaled shakily, setting the can back down. "I'm gonna take a break I think." After putting the half-full plate back onto the table, Chloe leant back against the sofa, holding her stomach and closing her eyes dramatically. 

Nadine rolled her own and continued to eat. By the time she had finished and got up to wash her plate, Chloe had stopped moping and was eating again. "Found your appetite?"

"What? I'm hungry." Chloe was shovelling mouthfuls of rice into her mouth again whilst Nadine simply laughed. "Hey, we're not doing anything today are we?"

"Not as far as I'm aware. But I can't stay in here all day."

"You sure?" Chloe pouted at her from the other side of the room. "I was thinking we could just spend the day here..."

"Doing...?"

"Whatever you want us to do."

Nadine bit her lip, and turned to Chloe. "As tempting as that offer sounds... Don't we need to do a supply run?"

"And how are we going to get guns through customs? I've got contacts in Poland, we can get what we need once we're there. Although... If you want to do something, I'm totally cool with it."

"We don't have to do anything if you don't want to. It's been a while since I've stayed in all day." Nadine admitted, setting the plate on the drying rack. "I might go insane."

"Haha." Chloe rose to her feet and joined Nadine at the sink, raising her eyebrows as Nadine took the plate off her to wash. "Thank you, love."

"No problem, you bought me 'breakfast'."

"Chinese food is a perfectly healthy breakfast, thank you very much."

"Rice, perhaps. Maybe I could even stretch to curry. But deep fried chicken balls, sweet and sour sauce, prawn crackers and soda? I could hardly call that healthy."

"Since when did you become a dietician?" Chloe huffed, leaving Nadine at the sink and getting back under the duvet on the sofa. Once she had curled back into a foetal position, she reached for the bag of remaining prawn crackers. "You wanna watch something on Netflix? I added this weird science fiction show to my watchlist yesterday, figured it'd be bingeworthy enough."

"After I let this go down a bit and do some exercises." Nadine promised, setting the second plate on the drying rack. 

"Nadine ... One day will not triple your fat percentage. Come and cuddle me?"

"One day wouldn't, but after all that Chinese food? That would." Nadine chuckled, washing her hands and emptying the sink of water. "I'll be ten minutes max."

Chloe frowned. "Okay... But no sit-ups. Especially after eating all that food."

Nadine barked out a laugh. "I'm not mentally challenged, Frazer. I like to keep my food in my stomach, thanks."

"Right... Good point." Chloe went quiet, having forgotten that Nadine was one of the healthiest and most athletic women she knew. Actually, probably number one in the list. "Well, just join me when you're ready." Head propped up on several pillows, Chloe clicked 'Farscape' and grabbed another cracker from the bag. Although, she had to admit there was no point in turning it on as Nadine working out definitely proved to be a large distraction. Chloe couldn't help but glance over as Nadine did her squats, and she found her gaze stuck on the woman's ass across the room. Biting her lip, Chloe continued to watch, until Nadine stopped and turned around. Quickly, she turned her head back to the screen.

"How's the show?" Nadine asked, a cocky grin on her face as she made her way over to the sofa. "Hey, that girl looks a bit like you."

"She does not!" Chloe huffed, folding her arms. "I'm not understanding this at all."

"Maybe you should focus more on the screen next time, China."

"Difficult when your ass is flexing six feet away from me." Chloe shot back, the tips of her ears going slightly red. 

Nadine snorted before she could stop herself. "You like my ass?"

"I like all of you." Chloe leaned in to kiss Nadine, who, to her horror, placed her hand over her mouth instead of leaning in. 

"I know where this is going. And it's not a good idea."

"Why not?" Chloe asked, a little deflated.

"Seriously, China? I don't think I can move after eating all that food. I don't know how you would be able to." When Chloe tilted her head in confusion, Nadine continued. "I know what your sex drive is like. I don't have the strength to accidentally trigger it."

The frown on Chloe's face became one of a small grin. "Is that a good thing?"

"I reckon so." Nadine quickly pecked Chloe's cheek as an apology, before slipping an arm around the other's shoulder. "That girl really does look like you."

"I hardly see how. We're nothing alike."

"You're right, you're definitely the better looking of you both. Maybe I'm just into Australian women." Nadine suggested, 'oof'ing lightly as Chloe slapped her chest. 

"You're into her?" Chloe asked, taking slight offence. 

"You've got similar features!"

"Such as?"

"Long nose. Dark hair. Beautiful Australian accent. She looks pretty tall and athletic, too."

"Well I'm not athletic in the slightest."

A snort. "You're right. You're hardly unfit though."

Chloe shrugged. "I guess so."

"But if I had to pick? Obviously I'd go for you."

Chloe was pouting lightly. "Okay." She finally said, a little insecure. 

"That was a compliment, Chloe."

"I believe you."

Nadine cupped Chloe's cheek and, despite her earlier comments, kissed her deep and reassuringly. The taste of Chinese food and strawberries still lingered on Chloe's tongue, and Nadine eventually had to pull away. "I don't know how you can eat this stuff every day." She chuckled, before groaning as she sensed Chloe's heightened mood. "Later, okay?"

Chloe nodded wistfully, although it didn't stop her from climbing into Nadine's lap to get as close to her partner as possible. 

"You're like a large child." Nadine chuckled, pausing Netflix and wrapping her arms around Chloe's waist as the woman sat her head on Nadine's shoulder. 

"I'm horny and you're not. What else am I supposed to do?" Chloe huffed, simply staying there. 

"Rub one out next door?" Nadine suggested with a grin, grunting as Chloe whacked the back of her head. "Maybe not."

"I'll be fine. Put Farscape back on."

"You can't even see the screen-"

"Just put it on!"

Still wearing a smirk, Nadine pressed play again, before attempting to settle comfortably on the sofa with Chloe's entire body on her lap. When she finally had, her hand moved to play with her ponytail and she soon released it from its tie. Gently, she ran her fingers through it, content with the mewls of approval Chloe was emitting every so often. "Are you enjoying that?"

"Definitely." Chloe closed her eyes, warm and fuzzy as she laid against Nadine's chest, duvet pulled up and over the pair. Soon she found herself drifting into unconsciousness, comforted by Nadine's touch and the fullness of her stomach. 

———

The next time Chloe woke, it was darker in her apartment. A glance at the clock told her it was around three. By that point, she'd also noticed she was no longer on Nadine's lap. Instead, she was sprawled our across the sofa, duvet pulled up to her chin. Peter Pan was playing softly in the background. Checking the apartment, Chloe spotted Nadine by the microwave, and that's when she noticed the scent of Chinese food lingering in the air. 

"Good morning, bokkie." Nadine was rummaging in a couple of bags, but had noticed Chloe waking from the sleepy groans travelling across the room. "How did you sleep?"

"My mouth tastes like something crawled in there and died." Chloe grumbled, ignoring the question and sitting up. A dull throbbing behind her eyes made her squint and head over to the cupboards. 

"Unsurprising." Nadine chuckled, pulling out a couple more cans of soda and setting them on the side. "I got a few groceries for breakfast tomorrow. Figured there wasn't much need to do a big shop as we're heading off tomorrow."

Chloe nodded, cracking open the can and taking a long drink. "Pineapple." She stated, setting it back down on the counter after taking a couple of painkillers. 

"Your favourite." Nadine nodded, chucking away the remnants of salad in the fridge and replacing them with bacon and eggs for the morning. "I thought you'd be hungry, so I heated up the rest of breakfast." A ghost of a smile lingered on her lips. "If you can stomach it?"

"I could eat week old kebab after a night out and keep it down. You should stop underestimating me." Chloe gave Nadine a gentle push, before sitting on one of the barstools. "How about you?"

"Trust me, I've had worse. Chinese leftovers sound tasty to me."

Chloe laughed into the can of soda, almost spilling it. “If you say so. What have you done all afternoon?"

"Well," Nadine took the plate out of the microwave and placed it in front of Chloe, along with a fork. "I caught up on Stranger Things and went to the store across the road. Took a shower- you needed some more shampoo and gel, so I got some more of that for you as well. Oh, and Cutter called- he wants us to meet him for a drink later?"

"Of course he does." Chloe snickered, blowing on the plate as steam rose from the food. "Sam going?"

"Most likely." Nadine popped her own plate into the microwave, before joining Chloe with a glass of water. "Reckon he's a bit lonely."

"Sam doesn't have many contacts in London. And you know what he's like, he's a 'hang around and bug the shit out of everyone' kind of person. Doesn't do so well on his own." Chloe continued to eat, before glancing at Nadine. She was looking out the apartment window, deep in thought. "You alright?"

"Ja. All good." Nadine looked back at Chloe. Her hair was still damp, curls hanging loosely around her shoulders. "You?"

"Thinking."

"Spill."

"Just- about Poland. You know how I am."

"You think the others there will be a threat?"

"I don't know. Just have a nagging feeling."

"Chloe, you always have a nagging feeling." Nadine shook her head, before heading over to the microwave. She let out a quiet 'ow' as she took the hot plate out, and quickly set it down beside Chloe. 

"I guess you're right." Chloe set her fork down, and went silent. Suddenly she didn't seem all that hungry anymore, and the plate was still half full. "You want the rest?"

Nadine chuckled. "I'm good, Frazer. You should eat it- you'll get hungry later."

"Nah, I'll be fine." When Nadine stared, she sighed heavily. "I'll just get some crisps from the corner shop later if I do. It's no biggie!"

"If you insist." Nadine watched as Chloe moved to scrape the leftovers into the bin, and set her plate in the sink. "I'll wash it in a second. Go take a shower."

Chloe stared incredulously at Nadine. "Is that an order?"

"Yes." 

"Pft." Chloe rolled her eyes, before heading off towards the bathroom. This left Nadine alone with her thoughts again.

It was easy to spot the signs. Chloe was an open book despite her best efforts to close herself away from Nadine. The uncomfortable silence lingered in the air, only interrupted by the sound of running water. Nadine's appetite seemed to diminish all at once, and she stared at her plate. Deep down in her gut, Nadine knew this next job was going to be a hard one. They had intelligence that the ones already digging were fully equipped with weaponry, clearly to defend their loot. In one way, it reassured Nadine that the myth was reality. However, the idea of getting into a shootout with a bunch of mercenaries didn't tickle her fancy. Keeping Chloe well away from the line of fire was her main priority; and that seemed as unlikely as forgiving Nathan Drake. 

Chloe was naturally ferocious in combat, but Nadine didn't want to run the risk of her getting hurt. After all, they didn't know exactly who they were up against. But once Chloe had her mind set on something, she damn well had to have it. It tore Nadine apart. 

The idea of losing her partner for some stupid treasure was just ludicrous. Nadine didn't want to do the job. She despised the idea. 

But she had to for Chloe's sake. 

With a sigh, Nadine got up and tipped her leftovers into the bin along with Chloe's. Presumably later on they'd get something small to eat with Sam and Charlie. If not, Chloe's suggestion of corner shop crisps could always be a backup plan. 

Washing the dishes only took a couple of minutes. Nadine emptied the sink, before drying the plates and stacking them back into the cupboard. Eventually, she resigned to making Chloe a cup of green tea and left it on the side for her. She had a nagging feeling that Chloe wasn't her usual self. 

By the time Chloe had finished in the shower, Nadine had put the duvet back in her bedroom and was straightening the cushions out on the sofa. A weak smile crossed her lips at the sight, before she headed into the bedroom to get dressed. Applying makeup took too much effort that Chloe didn't seem to have, so she simply applied some concealer and applied a small wing of eyeliner before drying her hair off. It hung in loose curls around her shoulders, and she decided to leave it natural for once, knowing that the heat damage from straightening it would start to show if she continued to abuse it. Slipping into a tight red dress, Chloe watched herself in the mirror. For once, she couldn't find anything to criticise. It hugged her in all the right places, elevating her curves and masking her insecurities. Complimenting it with a leather jacket, Chloe finally had a smile on her face. There was genuinely nothing she disliked about her appearance. With a heightened mood, Chloe sauntered into the living room and beamed when Nadine glanced at her. 

"You look ravishing, Frazer. What's the occasion?"

"I wanted to feel pretty." She admitted, a wobbly smile forming on her lips. 

"You should always feel pretty." Nadine was up on her feet, hands snaking around her partners waist. "But that dress? Looks beautiful on you." One hand moved to cup Chloe's cheek, before she pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. "Looks like I need to get some clothes on." She chuckled, detaching from Chloe and heading into the bedroom. "I wonder what it's like being the pretty girlfriend."

"You are the pretty girlfriend." Chloe's face was tinged a light shade of pink at the compliment, and she followed after Nadine. "You just don't recognise your natural beauty."

Nadine smirked slightly at Chloe, before bending down to reach into her suitcase. "Chloe... I've not got anything fancy in here."

"Want to borrow something of mine?" Chloe offered, eyes all over the sight in front of her. The urge to grab Nadine's ass was almost overwhelming. "I'm sure we're a similar size."

"Ja, I can try to squeeze in something." Nadine joked, sitting down on the bed as Chloe headed into her closet. A few moments later she emerged again with a dark, cropped flowing blouse and a pair of high waisted leggings. "Thank you, Frazer." She took them from her partner, and began to strip. 

Unable to keep her eyes off Nadine's body, Chloe simply watched as she stripped, revelling in the sight of taut abs and thick thighs. "You really are something else."

"Hm." Nadine grinned, slipping into the leggings. The white accentuated the size of her thighs, which she frowned at. "Have you got anything darker?"

"Yeah, but I really think you should keep those on." Chloe was biting her lip, staring intently at her lovers legs. "Your thighs look fucking flawless."

"They look big."

"Nadine! They look great! Since when do you get insecure?"

"More often than you think." Nadine smiled at Chloe. "I'll keep them on." She decided, before pulling out a pair of Vans from her suitcase. "I don't like heels. They hurt my feet."

Chloe was laughing. "Of course they do." She also pulled out a pair of shoes from her closet; a shocking red pair of pumps with a wedged heel. Carefully, she slipped them on. "What time are we meeting them?"

"Around five I think. Figured we should get a head start on them?" Nadine had a grin on her face. 

"I really don't think we should arrive at the airport with a hangover," Chloe began, ignoring Nadine's frown. "Turbulence and hangovers don't mix well." She stated, shivering at the memory at the edge of her mind. 

"We can hope there's no turbulence then, because I'm in need of a large whiskey." Nadine got up, and headed towards the sofa. "Unless I'm drinking alone?"

"Of course not." Chloe huffed, getting to her feet and wobbling for a fraction of a second before regaining her balance. "God, I haven't worn heels in months."

"You sure it's a good idea to, then?"

"I'll bring a pair of flats in my bag just in case." Chloe promised, following after Nadine with a black pair in hand. Her usual going-out bag was in the cupboard by the tv, and she groaned lightly as she removed a couple of old chips from a few weeks ago. "Remind me to clean my bags more often." She begged Nadine, slipping the shoes in alongside a spare pair of tights, phone charger and hair tie. 

"You've got strange priorities." Nadine replied, turning off the TV and standing. "We ready to go?"

"Yeah, I reckon." Chloe grabbed her purse and keys and stuffed them into her bag before picking up her phone. "Lead the way."

———

"I missed you."

Chloe's voice was low, husky. Slurred from the alcohol. 

Slender arms snaked around Nadine's neck, pulling the woman closer into her arms. A pair wrapped around her own waist, earning a groan of appreciation. Barefoot on the dance floor, Chloe swayed against Nadine. The music was loud, throbbing against her eardrums, just how she liked it. Nadine had been surprisingly easy to convince to dance with her- clearly she was intoxicated similarly to Chloe. 

Charlie and Sam were at their table in the nightclub, chugging pints and yelling over the music to each other. Sam had tried (and failed) to buy several girls a drink, and was now accepting the fact that he probably wasn't going to get laid tonight. Although it didn't put down his mood- instead, he conversed with Charlie, who was considerably sober for someone who had just drank his body weight in lager. 

Nadine angled her head against Chloe's neck and kissed her, gently nipping down on the skin and sucking until a hickey formed. The strangled moans Chloe released into her ear persuaded her to continue, licking and biting the exposed skin of her lover's neck. A hand moved to the back of Chloe's hair, tangling her fingers in the curls and gently pulling. The lewd, uncontrollable moans that escaped Chloe alerted Nadine that it was probably time to go, but she made no attempt to move. A soft pair of breasts rubbed against her chest desperately as Chloe jumped into Nadine's arms, wrapping her legs around her waist. Without hesitation, Nadine was carrying Chloe back to their table. Instead of replying to Sam, who had said something about Nadine being better at pulling girls than he was, she moved her lips to meet Chloe's, deepening the kiss as the taste of tequila shots awoke her tastebuds. Though when Chloe's hand moved to unbutton Nadine's shirt, she had to pull away. "Hey, Frazer. We're in public."

"So? Let them watch." Chloe whispered, her hands fumbling with the blouse buttons. 

"No, Chloe-" Nadine took her hands into her own, and pulled away. "It's illegal, China. You want to go back to your apartment?"

"I wanna fuck you." Chloe responded, grinding her hips against Nadine's lap. 

"Looks like we're going." Nadine said suddenly, standing up and setting Chloe on the chair. "Shoes on, bokkie." When Chloe grumbled in response, Nadine sighed loudly and fished the flats out of her bag before slipping them on for her. "Up we go." She took Chloe's hand to steady her, despite being wobbly herself, and turned to Sam and Cutter. "See you tomorrow." She flashed a grin, before leaning next to Sam's ear. "The girl in green's been watching you. Buy her a drink, eh?" Nadine winked at Sam, before escorting Chloe out of the club and towards a cab. 

The journey to Chloe's apartment was uneventful, besides the cab driver almost kicking them out after Chloe tried to take her dress off. She spent the rest of it sulking, refusing to speak to Nadine and simply texting Nathan about how taxi drivers are useless and inconsiderate arseholes. Nadine didn't have enough time to take her phone off her before it sent, and, despite her dislike for Drake, felt guilty that Chloe was going to wake him up at 3 in the morning with her drunken ramblings. 

When they got there, Chloe was in a better mood and allowed Nadine to carry her up the several flights of stairs to her apartment. By the time Chloe had got her dress off, Nadine had got a couple of pairs of pajamas out for after and set the jug of water on the bedside table. Moments later, she was kissing Chloe's cheek, forehead, lips, neck, and anywhere she could reach. The soft moans encouraged her further, and soon enough they became louder and more desperate as Nadine gave in to Chloe's desires. 

Eventually, the two laid sprawled out on the bed, exhausted and sweaty. Chloe's hair was no longer in loose curls, but a tangled mess that had been hastily tied up into a ponytail. Nadine allowed herself a moment to compose herself, before getting to her feet again. She was still unsteady from the alcohol, though she could tolerate it a lot better than Chloe could. Slipping the pajamas on herself, she now had the task of dressing Chloe, who didn't seem likely to co-operate. "Come on, China... You'll regret not wearing them later..."

"I don't want them on." Chloe mumbled, face buried in her arm. 

"You do, you just don't want to move. And that's why I'm helping you."

"Go away Nadine."

With an eye roll, she picked Chloe up easily and sat her up. The sudden movement had unsettled Chloe, but she soon recovered. 

"Don't touch me." She muttered, about to lay back down as Nadine's arm flung out and stopped her. 

"That's not what you were saying five minutes ago." Quickly, Nadine pulled the vest over Chloe's torso and allowed her to lay down. "Legs open."

"Ready to go again? I wish I had your stamina."

"Bum up."

"Yes, ma'am."

Nadine slipped the shorts over her legs and pulled them up over her ass. "There you go. Problem solved."

"I love you."

"I know you do." Nadine rolled her eyes and turned off the lamp, so that the only light in the room came from the city lights outside. Nadine hadn't been bothered about having sex with the window open- after all, she did have a great physique and had nothing to hide. "Are you getting in bed?"

"No."

"Suit yourself." Nadine climbed under the covers, an arm snaking over Chloe's waist and pulling her into an embrace. "Goodnight, bokkie."

"Güten nacht." Chloe mumbled, unfazed by Nadine's laugh at the response.


	3. Unforgiving desires

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a night of heavy drinking, the foursome fly to Warsaw.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I had already posted this chapter! I can’t believe I haven’t already! I guess this could be interpreted as another filler chapter- A little angst, and a little humour. Nothing too dramatic- that’s for the next chapter ;) all mistakes are my own- I’m just a college student writing on the side for fun!:) Chloe and Nadine are a little ooc in this chapter, so my apologies for anyone looking for anything specifically-canon.

Startled, Nadine sat upright in bed. 

She heard the noise again, and relief washed over her. It was only Chloe. 

Sometimes it was hard to remember that they weren't in the middle of a war-zone. Despite its crime rate, they were relatively safe in Chloe's apartment. Safer than they were on their usual excursions, anyhow. 

Quickly, she glanced at her phone. It was 6am- barely an hour since the pair had gotten into bed. Eyes stinging, Nadine swung her legs over the bed and headed into the bathroom. The overwhelming smell of alcohol hit her like a truck. "Good morning." 

Chloe flipped her off in response and retched again, head still buried in the toilet. 

Filling up the cup at the side of the sink, Nadine approached Chloe and moved her fringe out of her face without a word. Though eventually, she spoke up. "How's the hangover?"

"I'd rather take a bullet to the shoulder." Chloe groaned truthfully, shivering weakly.

"Understandable." Tenderly, Nadine pressed the cup of water into Chloe's hands. "Bet you're starting to regret booking an 8am flight, hm?"

"Please, don't remind me..." Soon enough, Chloe cleared her throat and got to her feet shakily. Then she groaned again at the thought of eating breakfast. "I'm not gonna lie... I can't think of anything worse than eggs right now."

A frown. "You've got to eat-"

"Please, love. I need to pack still."

Nadine looked at her hard. Stubborn as she was, there was no point arguing with Chloe on the matter. "Alright."

Chloe nodded, heading back into the bedroom. Nadine followed. "How long do you think we'll be out for?"

"Honestly? I don't know... I'd say a couple of weeks to be safe."

"Alright. Have you got enough clothes for two weeks?"

"Probably a week at best. We'll find a dry cleaners." Nadine reassured her, reorganising her clean clothes in her case before going into the bathroom to retrieve her toiletries for her case. 

An early flight seemed logical at the time- neither of the pair had planned to go out drinking with Charlie goddamn Cutter and Sam Drake. Although Chloe was definitely nursing the worse of the hangovers, Nadine was definitely feeling it. A stabbing pain behind her eyes was definitely beginning to irritate her. "You want some painkillers?" Nadine called, her own voice like twisting knives in the wound. 

"Definitely." Chloe called back, still groggy and tired. Perhaps it was the hangover influencing her choices, but Chloe packed more comfortable clothes than fashionable- not her usual taste at all. She was sure that she would appreciate it at the time though when they were getting shot at. 

A shiver ran down her spine at the thought, blood running cold. 

"Here." Nadine interrupted her thought process with a couple of paracetamol and a glass of water, which she accepted gratefully. 

"Thanks, love." Gagging ever so slightly, she downed both pills and pulled a face. "Eurgh. Hate taking painkillers."

"I've noticed." Nadine chuckled, packing away her essentials and laying back down on Chloe's queen-sized bed. "I'm dreading this cab journey to the airport," She soon muttered, hands over her eyes. "Just don't puke in the taxi." When no response to the joke came, she continued. "Feels like my heads going to split open."

"Relatable." Chloe zipped up her case, before also laying back on her bed. "How long until we have to leave?"

"We should really get there an hour early."

A nod. "That means we leave now then, right?"

Nadine groaned this time. Reaching over for her phone, she dialled Cutter's number. It took a while, but eventually he picked up.

"Morning sunshine!"

"Just checking you were awake."

"Course, love. Surprised you are, after the state you were in last night. Sam here's been griping since he woke up."

"Nothing new there then. I'll meet you at the Costa in the airport. I could do with a seriously strong coffee."

"Sure thing, sweetheart. See you's in a little while, yeah?"

The phone fell out of her hand as soon as Charlie hung up. Begrudgingly, Nadine sat back up again. "Come on, bokkie. We've got a plane to catch."

———

An hour and a half later, the four were huddled around a table, clutching coffees. The only one in a decent mood was Charlie, who never seemed to receive an impact from alcohol, even if he drinks double his weight. A large, beaming smile was slapped across his face, a large contrast from the hungover thieves in front of him. "Cheer up, mate." He gave Chloe's shoulder a 'gentle' push, backing away a little as she gave him an 'I'm going to throw this cup of coffee over your fucking head' glare. Sighing in defeat, he crossed his arms and kept watch on the clock. It would be a surprise if they were even let on the plane. "You're gonna need to lighten up if you want to get into Poland, you miserable bastards. They don't let drunks on the plane."

"I'm clearly not fucking drunk, am I Cutter?" Nadine spat, her head resting on her hand as she glared daggers at him. "I'm quite the fucking opposite."

"Jesus, alright." 

Sam and Cutter were the only two that had braved eating anything. The smell of bacon was enough to make Chloe gag and move to a different table, Nadine following suit shortly after. Sam had said over and over that fried foods cured a hangover, but neither seemed to be buying it. Eventually, nausea was overpowered by hunger and the pair agreed to share a slice of toast, which was thrown to Sam a few bites in. 

By the time they had got through customs and boarded the plane, it was safe to say that they were all feeling pretty rough. A heavy cloud of fragrance masked the scent of alcohol still lingering on them, most likely choking out the other passengers but it had served his purpose anyhow. Chloe, dressed in tracksuit pants and a large t-shirt, had caved and bought one of those head-rest pillows and placed it around her shoulders. After the stress of takeoff, she had laid back and allowed her head to loll to the side, feeling Nadine's also resting against her pillow. "This was a brilliant idea." She murmured, closing her eyes and sighing heavily. "I can't wait to get to Warsaw and get a hotel room. And some fucking sleep. Goodnight China."

Nadine laughed weakly. "Goodnight, Chloe."

———

Unsurprisingly, there had been an excessive amount of turbulence on the flight. Touchdown was a huge relief, to both the thieves and the other passengers on board who'd had to deal with Sam and Chloe's throwing up for the past three hours. 

To save cash, the four had decided to share a double room. Nadine and Chloe would share one, Sam and Charlie just next door. It wasn't anything special- although as soon as they had sank down into bed, the quilts felt like they had been crafted by the gods themselves. Without bothering to undress or turn the lights out, all three wordlessly curled up under the covers and fell asleep to the sound of muffled traffic. 

Cutter was the only one who opted not to take a mid-afternoon nap. It was clear that the four were going to need weaponry for the job- whoever was already there seemed pretty adamant on claiming the goods first. It hardly seemed likely that they would hand it over without a fight. Leaving a note on the table by Sam's bed, he hailed a cab and paid his contact a little visit. 

As usual, Nadine was the first to wake at around 4. Chloe was out cold beside her, a small string of drool hanging from her bottom lip. With a small sigh, Nadine got some tissue and wiped it away before deciding to check out the hotel room. 

There was nothing special about it. A small mini-fridge sat beside the TV, empty as she had expected. A trash can in the corner. A mirror. All the basic necessities of a hotel room. There was a bathroom for the four to share, the tub in the corner definitely calling her name. All in all, cheap and cheerful. Sitting back down on the bed, Nadine glanced at Chloe. She seemed so at peace, even with her mouth open as she snored lightly. A subtle smile crossed her lips at the sight, and she gently moved the loose strands of her ponytail out of her face. A moment later her stomach growled mercilessly. "Shit."

Not wanting to wake Chloe, but not wanting to starve either, Nadine gently kissed Chloe's forehead. "Bokkie."

"Mfgh." She got in response, that peaceful expression on Chloe's face replaced with a frown. 

"I need to go and get something to eat. Do you want to come with me, or bring something back?"

Chloe groaned again, but shifted so that her head was resting on Nadine's thigh. She sighed dramatically. "Stay here."

"I can't-" As if on cue, Nadine's stomach growled again and Chloe lifted her head up, an incredulous look on her face. 

"Jesus, Nadine." She laughed weakly, blinking sleep out of her eyes and stretching. A dull ache had formed behind her eyes. "I'll come with you." She finally decided, pulling the covers off herself and starting to strip. 

"Good to hear." Also pulling off her T-shirt, Nadine stood up and moved towards her suitcase. Deciding to keep her bottoms on, Nadine pulled out another T-shirt and a loose hoodie. Once dressed, she turned to Cutter and Sam's room. "I'll wake them." She told Chloe, knocking gently on the door and opening it. A loud huff followed. "They've literally just been sleeping and already the room is a mess. I can't believe it." Nadine spotted the note on Sam's table, and read it over. Then, she gave Sam a shove. "Oi. We're getting some food, so get dressed and ready. Charlie's gone to get supplies."

"Thank you for the pleasant awakening." Sam muttered, rubbing his eye and shunning her away so he could get dressed in peace. 

"Morning Sam!" Chloe said brightly, waving at him through the doorway that linked their two rooms. "How does pizza sound?"

"I'm always down for pizza." Sam replied, pulling a shirt over his head and slipping a pair of jeans on. "How's the hangover?"

"I've got a headache and my throat burns, but other than that it's tolerable."

"Be glad I made you clean your teeth, otherwise you would've had a nasty taste in your mouth as well." Nadine chuckled, glancing at her reflection in the mirror before turning back to Chloe, who had her eyes narrowed at her. "What? I was thinking of you."

"Whatever." Suddenly, Chloe wished she had more of a choice of clothes to pick from. The shirt and leggings she had on seemed a little too casual for her style. "Um. Where do you think we can get pizza from?" She asked Nadine sheepishly. 

"There's probably a pizza house down the street somewhere. Or if we can't find anywhere that sells familiar food then we can just probably order a takeout again." 

"Huh. Maybe." Finally, Chloe got to her feet and stretched properly. The sound of cracking joints made her pause halfway through. "Ugh. Disgusting sound." Grimacing as her neck crunched, Chloe turned to Nadine again. "You got the keys?"

"Ja."

Chloe snickered. "Alright, China. I'll text Charlie."

Sam surfaced several moments later, donning his usual scruffy appearance and encouraging a groan of distaste from Nadine. "Are you ever going to stop bullying me?"

"Doubtful." Nadine rolled her eyes, before picking up her phone and opening the door. "Come on, kids. Let's go get dinner."

———

The street was attractive. Several small businesses littered the sidewalk, including a hotdog stand and hot drinks stall. Sam had been very coaxed in by the aroma of hotdogs, although Nadine had insisted that they get pizza from an actual eatery. Despite his whining, Sam had for once listened to Nadine and followed after the two women, sulkily. 

Fingers entwined as they walked, Chloe couldn't help but continuously survey the area for any threats. It was an old habit that had been built into her from a very young age, and she had never learned to grow out of it after entering such a dangerous field of work. She had enemies. Ones that she would prefer to keep at a distance, especially whilst she was so vulnerable and defenceless. Although she was sure nobody would get past Nadine very easily to get to her, Chloe still had unease flowing through her at the idea of being in an unfamiliar place so unequipped. Perhaps once she had familiarised herself with the surroundings, the paranoia would wear off. 

Beside her, Nadine had a similar sense of unease. Keeping a tight grip on Chloe's hand, and ensuring Sam was close behind her, Nadine glanced around in observation. Nothing seemed threatening to her in the least. Not even the group of thugs eyeing her and Chloe up from a bike rack outside a store. One kick to the throat would send the teenagers screaming back to their mothers. No, Nadine was just plain paranoid. That's what being a mercenary built into you after a while. 

Eventually, Nadine spotted a pizzeria and pointed it out to Chloe. "What do you think?" She asked, watching as Chloe turned to look.

"Seems alright to me. Sam?"

"Anything edible sounds good to me."

Chloe grinned, before giving Nadine a gentle nudge in the side and heading towards it. Inside, the atmosphere felt welcoming; there was enough volume to be able to think clearly, whilst also be able to talk privately without fear of eavesdroppers. It was significantly warmer inside, too, being almost out of tables. When they were seated, Chloe took off her jacket and yawned briefly. "Man, I'm hungry."

"I second that."

"Fancy sharing?"

"As always."

Chloe's eyes glinted. "Pollo?"

"Sounds good." 

Chloe nodded, and pulled her phone out of her pocket to send Charlie another text. Presumably he'd want to join them once he'd returned from acquiring the guns and explosives they needed. Unsure of their location, Chloe simply sent a tracker to his phone so that he could follow that instead. Then, she set it onto the table. "Is it possible to still be tired after napping most of the day?"

Sam shook his head, stifling a yawn. "I'm exhausted. Can't wait to sleep all night."

Nadine rolled her eyes. "You're both lazy dickheads." She chuckled, before a waiter came over to take their orders. Deciding to lay off the alcohol for a night, Nadine ordered a water whilst Chloe and Sam ordered sodas. Soon after, Charlie arrived, dressed properly and thankfully unarmed. He sat beside Sam, a shit-eating grin on his face that confirmed the deal must have went well.

"All good?" Chloe asked, voice low. 

"All good." Charlie repeated, taking off his jacket as the server arrived to take their orders. 

A little while later, Sam was telling a story from the time he and Nathan were in jail. It was one of those stories that no normal person would share whilst waiting for a meal, though Sam, being Sam, was one of those people that would share it. 

"I don't buy it." A slight grin was on Chloe's face. "You're telling me that out of all the people in the prison, he wanted to try to rape you?"

"I can hardly blame him, have you seen how attractive I am?"

"Nate's the better looking brother." Nadine interrupted, crushing Sam's self-esteem in an instant. "Just ask Chloe."

It went quiet for a minute, and Chloe was still grinning awkwardly. "Sorry mate."

"I'm crushed." Sam held a hand over his chest, and glanced to Charlie. "Can you believe this?"

"Oh, yeah. If I had to fuck you or your brother, I'd definitely go for Nathan. I reckon he'd complain a little bit less." Cutter winked, before taking a drink of his soda. 

Stunned into silence, Sam looked back to Chloe, who was laughing into her own drink. "... Unbelievable."

By the time they had finished their meals and paid the bill, Chloe was feeling a little more at ease about the job tomorrow. If Nadine wasn't enough watching her back, Sam and Cutter definitely made her feel slightly more comfortable. It wasn't that she couldn't hold her own if it came to it; Chloe just had to ensure their safety was properly thought of before embarking on such a dangerous job. And after all, none of the three would go down easily without a fight. Sadly, she knew deep down that any one of them would give their life for her. She would never expect them to. Although if it ever came to it, she would give up hers in return. 

Upon arriving back at their hotel rooms, Chloe was in high spirits. Anxiety was pooling deep in her core, mingling with the excitement bubbling to be working again. It had been months since the last job, and restlessness had been building up like a sickness. It wasn't easy for someone so active to be stuck in the house for months on end. There was plenty to do, sure. But it was never what she wanted. 

And that was to treasure hunt with Nadine. 

Deep down, she knew that risking all of their lives for the thrill she got from treasure hunting simply wasn't worth it. It was selfish of her. But the three had been all for it, which had put her mind at rest. 

Except Nadine. 

The paranoid mercenary who she had fallen madly in love with. 

Nadine didn't think it was safe. 

And Chloe was still putting her in that danger. 

Emotions a conflicting mess, Chloe pushed them to one side. Spending the evening with her three closest friends was her main priority. Living in the present. Not worrying about the ifs and buts. 

After all, it may well be the last opportunity they get. 

———

The rest of the evening was spent with good company, sharing memories and stories that they hadn't already divulged with one another. 

Chloe discovered that Nadine's scar was from a job she had been on a few years back. An old colleague had made to cut her throat, but was shot before he could properly angulate the dagger. It had fortunately slashed into her collarbone instead of her jugular. 

Sam and Nathan had shoplifted a grocery store once when they were younger. After picking the lock and helping themselves to whatever they could get hold of, arms filled with candies and snacks, they'd ran from authorities and hidden by the canal. It was too dark for them to be spotted, and they had spent the rest of the evening eating junk and discussing life before Nathan had been sent to the orphanage. 

Charlie bragged about the numerous pub fights he'd won in one punch. That wasn't hard to believe. 

As Chloe listened to everyone take turns in sharing stories, her and Nadine laying across their double bed and Sam and Cutter leaning against it, she felt her eyes growing heavy. It wasn't late; maybe eight o'clock at best. But the lack of sleep from the night before was taking its toll already, and wordlessly she laid her head on Nadine's knee, preening as Nadine's hand moved to stroke her hair. Just listening to them talk was enough to lull her to sleep, warm and relaxed despite the looming threat of the next day hanging over her head. 

It had not been long since she has fallen asleep when her eyes flew open again, heart rate abnormally high. Unexplainably breathless, Chloe detangled herself from Nadine's arms. A stray tear stained her cheek, and she moved to wipe it away. Swallowing down a frustrated sob, Chloe got shakily to her feet to get a bottle of water from the mini fridge. The light cast painfully bright glow into the once dark room, and Chloe slammed it quickly, not wanting to wake Nadine. The damage had already been done, however. 

"You alright?" Nadine's sleepy voice rang out in the darkness.

"Yeah." Chloe lied through her teeth, cold sweat on her forehead. "Go back to sleep."

"What were you dreaming about?"

It was almost impossible to lie to Nadine. The woman seemed to know Chloe inside out. "Just... What we're going to do with all that money when we're finished tomorrow." Chloe sat down on the floor by the fridge, going silent again. Now that her eyes had adjusted to the dark, she could make out Nadine's shape in the bed, now sitting up and watching her, concerned. 

"Get the water and come back to bed." Nadine murmured, checking her phone quickly and setting it back down. When Chloe settled next to her again, Nadine's arm pulled her into an embrace. "I won't ask. But I'm sorry."

Perplexed, Chloe went to open her mouth. 

"You don't have to talk about it. Just... Don't shut yourself out, okay?"

"I'm not shutting myse-"

"Chloe."

It went silent again, and Chloe bit her lip. 

"You can talk to me, you know?"

"I know."

"Do you?"

"Mhm."

"Are you considering skipping this job?"

"No!" Chloe pulled out of the hug and stared at her. "No, I'm fucking not."

"Well I am." Nadine shot back, staring back harder. "Because it's stressing you out, plaguing your sleep with nightmares and upsetting you. Nothing's worth that."

"The payout certainly is..." Chloe muttered more to herself. 

"It isn't to me." Frustrated, Nadine got out of bed and paced the room for a moment. Neither of them had anything further to say on the matter. A few moments later, a head slowly popped around the door. 

"You guys good in there?" Sam asked quietly, legitimately concerned for them. The raised voices had woken both him and Cutter.

"Fuck off, Drake." Nadine snapped before she could stop herself. Angry at herself for the sharp outburst, she stormed into the bathroom and shut the door. 

As soon as the door had closed, Chloe allowed the tears to fall. She was careful to make no sound, however Sam was sat next to her in bed and pulling her into his chest in an instant. All of the built up stress was finally unthreading, wracking her body with silent sobs that she muffled in Sam's shirt. All she needed was to be held for a while.

"You're an idiot." Sam mumbled quietly, a hand stroking her hair as she clutched his shirt tightly. "You should've said something."

"It's me who wants this! More than anything!" Chloe hissed back, eyes shining with tears.. "I've been invested in this for weeks, and I want to find that fucking train before the others do! Because they won't hand back the remains to the heirs- they'll keep it all for themselves and there won't be any accomplishment whatsoever. My own grandfather fought in that war- lost his life- I have to do this, Sam. I can't not. I just don't want to lose any of you in the fucking process!"

"Oh, baby..." Sam exhaled shakily, still holding Chloe to his chest. "You don't have to do anything. You've proved yourself to us multiple times, you've made us all so proud- you don't need to do this."

"I do. I want to." Chloe pulled away eventually, wiping her eyes. "I just don't want to lose you."

"You won't if I have anything to do with it." Sam promised her, resting his hand on her shoulder for a brief moment. "We'll be okay, Chlo. I can promise you that."

Chloe nodded, and reached for her water bottle again. She took a few gulps, before putting it back on the table. Extreme embarrassment suddenly swelled inside her. "I'm sorry I woke you."

"Don't worry about it." Sam waved her off, and got back to his feet. "We can have a lie in. There's no rush, anyhow." Retreating back to his room, he turned back to Chloe. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Sam." Chloe closed her eyes as he shut the door. Hopefully Nadine wouldn't be too upset with her for the outburst. Guilt was overwhelming her. Soon after Sam had left, the bathroom door opened and Nadine emerged, silently. 

"I'm sorry for snapping." She eventually said, taking Chloe's hand into hers. "I just... Fucking hate seeing you distressed."

"My own fault." Chloe shook her head, before laying back against the pillows. "Did you um..."

"Yeah."

"Sorry."

"Sorry I couldn't be there for you."

"No, Nadine-"

"Don't, Chloe." Nadine smiled weakly at her, before getting back under the covers and laying on her side. 

Chloe exhaled as Nadine turned her back to her, and laid on her other side, facing the wall. A small pang of sadness hit her, but she pushed it down. They'd been together officially for a couple of days, and already had an argument. Over Chloe's inability to properly deal with her stupid as fuck conflicting feelings towards this job. She felt like a stupid, weak teenager again. And humiliation at her uncontrolled outburst courses through her veins like fire. 

Letting out a small, frustrated huff, Chloe glared at the wall. 

It could be dealt with another time.


End file.
